The present invention relates to a folding vehicle seat and in particular to a seat which can be folded to a stowed position and also to an upwardly and forwardly raised table position in which the seat back forms a table for use by adjacent seat occupants.
Vehicle manufacturers are continually striving to provide improved convenience features in motor vehicles. The folding seat of the present invention continues in this trend by providing a seat for a second or third seating row in a sport utility vehicle or other vehicle. The seat is foldable to a stowed position in which the seat back forms a load platform for carrying cargo thereon. In addition, the seat can be folded to a table position in which the seat back forms a generally horizontal table surface that can be used by occupants seated to either side of the folding seat. As such, the folding seat of the present invention is primarily intended for use in the center portion of a bench scat or as a center seat in a row of seats. The folding seat of the present invention can; however, be used in other locations in the vehicle if desired.
Briefly, the invention includes a seat assembly for a vehicle with a seat cushion, a seat back connected to the seat cushion, a front link having an upper end and a lower end, and a rear link having an upper end and a lower end. The upper end of the front link is connected to the seat cushion for pivotal movement about a first axis, while the lower end of the front link is connected to the vehicle for pivotal movement about a second axis. The front link is further connected to either the seat cushion or the vehicle for sliding movement from a first position to a second position. The upper end of the rear link is connected to the seat cushion for pivotal movement about a third axis, while the lower end of the rear link is connected to the vehicle for pivotal movement about a fourth axis. The seat assembly may be transitioned from a first use position to a second use position by pivoting the seat cushion about the second axis and the fourth axis. The seat assembly may also be transitioned from the first use position to a stowed position by sliding the front link from the first position to the second position and by rotating the seat cushion about the third axis.